[3.5] There's just no helping it... [PEACH]

[vasharanpaladin]

The Entropy Champion

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c5/Tenjou_tenge_v13c078p014.jpg
"Pain is nature's way of telling you that you're still alive... death, by contrast, is much less harsh." -Pomfret Akumu, entropy champion

No matter how long a creature lives, be it human or elf, dragon or dwarf, it will eventually die. This is life's one true certainty, and that deliberate, uncaring finality is the reason mortals fear death. The entropy champion accepts this fate and the oblivion that comes afterward so that he can speed the hands of fate along a path more suited to his tastes. By embracing the utter finality of entropy in this manner, he becomes entropy itself - a jaded spirit whose body serves little purpose beyond conveyance.

Abilities
Entropy champions are calculated sadists, reveling in pain whether it's their own or another's. Because the entropy champion functions best when left damaged, Constitution should be your highest ability score to make up for the lost hit points. Most of your class features rely on Charisma, and a high Dexterity helps to offset your lack of armor proficiency.

Races
Any creature can accept that decay is a natural fact of life. Drow and tieflings tend to reach this conclusion more often than any other race, though human entropy champions are more common by far.

Alignment
Entropy is as much a part of nature as life, even if it does have more stigma attached to it. As a result, entropy champions are never good, though most have at least one neutral component to their alignment.

Starting Gold
4d4 x 10 gp (100 gp)

Starting Age
Moderate

Hit Die
d10

Class Skills
The entropy champion's class skills (and the key modifier to use each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (architecture and engineering) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex).

Skill Points per Level
4 + Int modifier (x4 at 1st level)

{table=head]Level|
BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Essentia|Special

1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+0|1|Entropic brand 1d6, undead aura

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+0|2|Destructive expertise, unnerving mien (attack rolls)

3rd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+1|2|Entropic barrier

4th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+1|3|Destruction embraced (attack and damage)

5th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+1|3|Entropic Brand 2d6, entropic strike

6th|
+4|
+5|
+2|
+2|4|Incarnum overcharge

7th|
+5|
+5|
+2|
+2|5|Unnerving mien (saves)

8th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+2|
+2|5|Destruction embraced (saves)

9th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+3|
+3|6|Understand weakness

10th|
+7/+2|
+7|
+3|
+3|7|Entropic brand 3d6, entropic ray

11th|
+8/+3|
+7|
+3|
+3|8|Augmented brand

12th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+4|9|Sight of oblivion (damage reduction)

13th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+4|10|Entropic aura

14th|
+10/+5|
+9|
+4|
+4|11|Entropic ray (disintegrate)

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+9|
+5|
+5|12|Entropic brand 4d6, steady decay

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+5|13|Sight of oblivion (spell resistance)

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+5|14|Unmaking magic

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+6|16|Entropic understanding

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+6|18|Seal weaknesses

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+6|20|Entropic brand 5d6, transmortality[/table]

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the entropy champion.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Entropy champions are not proficient with any weapons, armor, or shields.

Entropic Brand (Su)
An entropy champion has the uncanny ability to destroy matter by touch. He gains a touch attack that deals 1d6 points of damage, plus his Charisma modifier. The entropy champion can make full attacks and attacks of opportunity with this ability.

At 5th level and every five levels thereafter, the entropy champion deals an additional 1d6 points of damage with his entropic brand.

Undead Aura (Ex)
An entropy champion radiates negative energy. As such, he is registered by the detect undead spell as an undead with Hit Dice equal to his entropy champion level.

Destructive Expertise (Ex)
As agents of destruction, 2nd-level entropy champions learn to promote entropy by the most efficient means. The entropy champion may add half his class level as a bonus on Disable Device and Knowledge (architecture and engineering) checks when attempting to take apart or disable traps and other objects.

Unnerving Mien (Ex)
Entropy champions have an uncanny ability to avoid enemy attacks. Any enemy that attacks an entropy champion of 2nd level or higher takes a null penalty to the attack roll equal to the entropy champion's Charisma modifier.

At 7th level, an enemy attempting a saving throw against the entropy champion's abilities takes a null penalty on that saving throw equal to the entropy champion's Charisma modifier.

Entropic Barrier (Su)
At 3rd level, the entropy champion becomes able to wrap his body in a sheath of energy distilled from the very essence of decay. The exact appearance of this sheath varies from one entropy champion to the next, but each causes a penalty on attack rolls against the entropy champion equal to the number of points of essentia invested in this ability.

Destruction Embraced (Su)
Beginning at 4th level, an entropy champion gains power in exchange for submitting himself to decay. At 4th level, he gains a +1 luck bonus on attack and damage rolls once he has taken an amount of damage at least equal to twice his character level. This luck bonus increases by 1 for every 10 points of damage the entropy champion takes beyond that, up to a maximum bonus equal to his Constitution score minus 10, in addition to the original bonus. These bonuses can increase or decrease depending on his hit points, and last as long as he has the minimum amount of lethal damage needed to gain them. If the entropy champion is magically healed, the luck bonus decreases by 1 for a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell.

At 8th level, this luck bonus is also added to the entropy champion's saving throws.

Entropic Strike (Su)
At 5th level, an entropy champion can channel necrocarnum into offensive might. His entropic brand gains an enhancement bonus equal to the number of points of essentia invested in this ability. The essentia cap of this ability is 1 higher than normal for his level.

Incarnum Overcharge (Ex)
Beginning at 6th level, the entropy champion can temporarily raise the efficiency of his essentia at the risk of his health. He may take an amount of damage up to twice his Constitution bonus (minimum 1) that is not affected by damage reduction. He gains temporary essentia for 1 round equal to half the amount of damage he takes, which can immediately be invested in a receptacle. Essentia gained as a result of this class feature can be invested beyond the normal cap of the receptacle.

This ability is usable as a free action. The first time per day that it is used requires no other action; for each time beyond the first that it is used in a 24-hour period, it requires a Will save (DC 15 + number of times already used within the last 24 hours) to be used.

Understand Weakness (Ex)
At 9th level, by observing a target as a move action, an entropy champion can understand the weaknesses and immunities of a given creature or object. For every move action spent studying a target, the entropy champion learns additional information, as indicated below.

1st Action: The defensive strength of the target.

2nd Action: The presence of damage reduction, hardness, energy resistance, or immunities.

3rd Action: The exact ranks and type of damage reduction, hardness, energy resistance, and immunities.

{table=head]Defensive Strength|
AC


Weak|9 or below


Moderate|10-13


Strong|14-17


Tough|18-21


Resilient|22-29


Overwhelming|30+[/table]

Entropic Ray (Su)
At 10th level, the entropy champion can draw out the power of decay to evoke a powerful ranged attack, a beam of nearly invisible entropic force. Using this ability is a standard action; you must make a ranged touch attack to hit your target. The entropic ray has a range of 60 feet and deals 1d10 points of damage per point of essentia invested in this ability.

At 14th level, this attack becomes even more potent. If the entropy champion has at least two points of essentia invested in his entropic ray, it is treated as the disintegrate spell, with a caster level equal to his entropy champion level, for the purpose of interacting with force effects. If his invested essentia meets or exceeds the essentia cap for this ability, then if it reduces the target's hit points to 0 or fewer, the target is disintegrated, as the spell.

Augmented Brand (Ex)
At 11th level, the entropy champion's destructive power increases. The base threat range of his entropic brand becomes 19-20, and it deals triple damage on a critical hit.

Sight of Oblivion (Su)
At 12th level, the entropy champion becomes harder to harm when he has already taken a great deal of damage. While he is at or below half of his maximum hit points, he gains damage reduction equal to his class level that can be overcome by magic weapons.

At 16th level, the entropy champion gains spell resistance equal to 15 + his class level as long as he is below half of his maximum hit points.

Entropic Aura (Su)
At 13th level, the entropy champion's connection to decay is so deep that his mere presence stimulates entropy in his surroundings. At the start of his turn, every creature adjacent to him takes 1d6 points of damage per point of essentia invested in this ability. A successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + invested essentia + Con modifier) halves this damage. This ability is always active. If the entropy champion has essentia invested in this class feature, he seems to destroy light around him entirely, creating a deeper darkness effect centered on him, with a caster level equal to his entropy champion level. The entropy champion can see normally in this darkness.

Steady Decay (Ex)
At 15th level, the entropy champion has become so inured to decay that the entropy of his own body cannot be accelerated. He becomes immune to all death spells, magical death effects, energy drain, and negative energy effects. However, his body is also more resistant to attempts at slowing its inherent entropy; he is always considered unwilling to accept spells with the healing descriptor.

Unmaking Magic (Sp)
Beginning at 17th level, the entropy champion can undo the bonds of magic. He can use a targeted greater dispel magic effect at will, on a successful melee touch attack. His caster level for this effect is equal to his class level. He must wait 1d4 rounds between uses of this ability.

Entropic Understanding (Ex)
At 18th level, the entropy champion has become a true master of destruction. He can score critical hits against creatures that are normally immune to critical hits due to their creature type, such as constructs or elementals. In addition, he subtracts his Charisma modifier from the hardness of any object he attacks.

Seal Weaknesses (Ex)
By 19th level, an entropy champion gains immunity to critical hits due to his innate knowledge of his own weak points and how to best protect them. This immunity also renders him immune to abilities that rely on the ability to inflict critical hits (such as sneak attacks) but his creature type remains unchanged.

Transmortality (Su)
At 20th level, the entropy champion has become so jaded as to become one with his convictions. His type changes to outsider, and he gains the native and apostate subtypes. His natural weapons and any weapons he wields are treated as whichever alignment is required for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction, and any spell with an alignment descriptor has the least possible effect on him.

Furthermore, once per day as a full-round action, the entropy champion can declare one attack to be a final blow. He makes a single attack at his highest base attack bonus. If the attack succeeds, he adds twice his current hit points to the damage roll. His hit points then drop to -1 immediately, and he automatically fails all checks made to stabilize himself. If the attack fails, he instead loses half of his current hit points. Use of this ability must be declared before the attack is rolled.

[vasharanpaladin]

Feats

PRACTICED OVERCHARGE [Incarnum]
Prerequisites: Incarnum overcharge class feature
Benefit: The first time you use your incarnum overcharge class feature during the day, you take nonlethal damage. You gain 1 point of essentia.
Normal: You take lethal damage each time you use your incarnum overcharge class feature.

IMPROVED OVERCHARGE [General]
Prerequisites: Incarnum overcharge class feature, Practiced Overcharge
Benefit: Three times per day, you may use your incarnum overcharge class feature without requiring a Will save. Only the first use benefits from the Practiced Overcharge feat.

SUSTAINED OVERCHARGE [General]
Prerequisites: Incarnum overcharge class feature, Practiced Overcharge, Improved Overcharge, entropy champion level 15th
Benefit: You can prolong the effect of your incarnum overcharge class feature for a number of rounds per day equal to your Constitution score. The round after you use your incarnum overcharge class feature, you can choose to take an amount of lethal damage equal to half the amount of damage you took to activate the class feature to keep the effects of the incarnum overcharge for the next round. Each round afterward, you can take half the amount of damage as the round before (rounded up) to keep the incarnum overcharge going. You can sustain a single incarnum overcharge for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution modifier or until you cannot divide the damage further (such as when you take 1 damage to activate or maintain the effect), whichever comes first.

IMPROVED BARRIER [Incarnum]
Prerequisites: Entropic barrier class feature
Benefit: The essentia cap of your entropic barrier class feature increases by one. You gain 1 point of essentia.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Its effects stack.

[Milskidasith]

It's interesting, but a bit odd. Null penalty doesn't make much sense; that means a nonexistant penalty, unless you are just classifying it. It also seems odd that one of the attacks for causing entropy involves focusing raw energy into a beam to destroy things; that's strictly anti-entropic. Destruction is, in fact, not the exact same thing as entropy.

[vasharanpaladin]

Hm. Yes, I'm calling it a "null" penalty to classify it... multiple null penalties wouldn't stack, obviously. :smallredface:

And as for the name of it, well, Tharizdun (the god of entropy) wants to destroy everything in existence, for my logic. I basically condensed the Doomguard into a single class, because Planar Handbook's Doomlord sucks. :smalltongue:

[vasharanpaladin]

...Anybody? I have cookies.... :smalleek:

[Wandiya]

What is essentia:smallconfused: I've never heard of it :smallbiggrin:

[UserClone]

Essentia is a part of the Incarnum power source from Magic of Incarnum, one of the last D&D supplements for 3.5, and arguably the most unique.

[arguskos]

You know, I like this class, but, uh, why not just give Entropic Touch a scaling progression of damage, rather than make it essentia based. That way, you free up essentia for other, more unique and interesting abilities. And really, it's not over-powered in anyway to make scaling (compare to the Warlock's eldritch blast, for example).

Just a thought.

[ZeroNumerous]

That way, you free up essentia for other, more unique and interesting abilities.

You've got lots of essentia just lying around in the later levels.

I do, however, approve of the idea of buffing it's entropic touch. As is, you're looking at a maximum of 4d6 to 6d6 at 20th level. That's not a lot.

[vasharanpaladin]

Edits made. Entropic brand now deals 1d6+Cha at 1st level, increases at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th. Before insisting that it scale like the warlock's eldritch blast, keep in mind that the entropy champion doesn't need a second ability in order to make full attacks with his brand. :smallbiggrin:

[Glimbur]

Sight of Oblivion (Su)
At 12th level, the entropy champion becomes harder to harm when he has already taken a great deal of damage. While he is at or below half of his maximum hit points, he gains damage reduction equal to his class level that can be overcome by magic weapons.

This is not very useful, anyone who's making weapon attacks by 12th level should be using magic weapons.

You only have four essentia receptacles in this class. All together, they can hold 17 essentia by level 20. You have twenty essentia by level 20. Is this intentional, to support taking Shape Soulmeld or [Incarnum] feats?

[vasharanpaladin]

This is not very useful, anyone who's making weapon attacks by 12th level should be using magic weapons.

You only have four essentia receptacles in this class. All together, they can hold 17 essentia by level 20. You have twenty essentia by level 20. Is this intentional, to support taking Shape Soulmeld or [Incarnum] feats?

Yes and no. If you take [Incarnum] feats, you get more essentia and another receptacle that you can only manipulate once per day. That serves to lock up even more of your essentia. You want to do this, in fact, so that you get the most out of your Incarnum Overcharge class feature, which lets you pump even more essentia into an already-maxed receptacle, preferably one that throws damage dice based on how much is in it, like your Entropic Ray.

...And you're right about the damage reduction. Should I make it "DR/-"?

[Glimbur]

DR/Alignment is generally how Incarnum stuff works. You could also consider DR/Silver or DR/Cold Iron to reflect special materials... something... fluff. DR/Alignment would be my suggestion.

[vasharanpaladin]

It'd almost have to be either material or nothing, since he becomes apostate as his capstone. Have to think on that....

[Realms of Chaos]

Hmm... I remember back when this thing was first posted. [/nastolgia]

not much has changed, it seems.

No obviously glaring mechanical problems. Unnerving mein looks powerful but this thing suffers from MAD so it's probably okay. Probably.

The one ability that I don't really like is entropic understanding. Let me explain way. Both from a fluff and crunch perspective, the idea is fine. However, most Entropy Champions are going to be BBEGs rather than PCs. That said, it seems to me that this guy should get something at each level that they can actually use to fight the PCs.
Scoring criticals on undead and constructs doesn't come up in battles against PCs as often as you would think (moreso in the Tippyverse but even then, PCs will rarely know that a critical hit was scored unless the DM plays it up). Same thing with damaging items.
When making a class for BBEGS, they should get some ability at each level that the party will be able to recognize, something that will make combat against a level X BBEG different from a level X+1 BBEG of the same class. At least, that is how I feel.

I would replace the odd and somewhat random skill bonuses of destructive expertise with the ability to ignore hardness up to half of your level and scrap the other part of the ability, replacing it with something more "showy".

[vasharanpaladin]

...Okay, I'll shed my reasoning first:

Destructive Expertise grants a bonus to two off-skills, one of which is a Knowledge skill that gains a very specific bonus. This is a good thing; you'll note that this is a primarily melee class that doesn't get any weapons or armor, and has average BAB to boot. The entropy champion should offer something in the way of an option for the player to look at, say, what's shoring up the walls in the mineshaft he's fighting in, and know which ones will drop the ceiling on his enemies if they're taken out. A low-level BBEG should prefer this tactic, while one of higher level would get more use out of his entropic ray, and the like.

Entropic Understanding, on the other hand, was originally going to say "nothing is immune to your crits, ever," but I thought that was too powerful, so it got toned down to the current form. The current ability just helps him drop most summons, or else make the druid think twice about turning into a tree if it's not going to protect him from the crits. Ideally, this would be accompanied by something to increase his threat range, but you can't have it all.

That said, those arguments don't seem as strong as they were in my head. What's your take on the DR, by the way? :smallbiggrin: